Tearless, Broken Sobs
by ibelieveinguardianangels
Summary: "It was an unsettling sight to behold – Edward Cullen crying." Short story based on the quote of "tearless, broken sobs".
**Author's Note:**

 **If there was anything in particular that I took away from the first Twilight book, it would be that when Edward cried in Chapter 23 it was with "tearless, broken sobs" – so, I decided to experiment with it. It's nothing spectacular – at least I don't think so – but it was interesting to write.**

 **It's quite short, sorry about that.**

 **I've been thinking that I might re-write this from Bella's point of view.**

 **I apologise in advance for any mistakes.**

Tearless, Broken Sobs.

It was an unsettling sight to behold – Edward Cullen crying. Not just because it appeared to be such a _human_ response from a man who deemed himself a monster, but also because it was very disconcerting to see somebody weeping, in so much emotional pain that the convulsions from the force of his sobbing wracked his frame, without creating any physical tears.

Bella didn't know what to do. Edward was unpredictable at the best of times and she had absolutely no idea how he would respond to being caught in such a vulnerable position both physically and emotionally.

He had his long legs pulled up to his chest, his arms wrapped tightly around his knees as he sat on the floor in his bedroom, his head resting against the glass outer wall. His bronze hair was mussed and Bella figured that he had probably been running his fingers through it.

Bella felt helpless. She was hovering in the doorway of his bedroom, the fingertips of one hand still slightly brushing the door handle from where she had opened it. She hadn't been prepared for this, despite the fact that Alice had pre-warned her as she had ascended the staircase up towards Edward's bedroom. No doubt she had already seen the state that her brother was in.

Maybe not in person, but… Bella wondered if Alice believed that it would only be safe for Bella to make an attempt to reach out to him.

"Edward," She whispered, partly to make her presence known – not that she needed to, it wasn't as though Edward wouldn't already know she was there. In fact, Edward had probably known she was there before she entered the house – and partly to see just how responsive he was.

It worked. He reacted to his name, almost imperceptibly however. Had she not been watching him, she wouldn't have noticed. He tilted his head very slightly in her direction, his eyes flickering towards her face.

Without the existence of tears, the only thing that showed Bella that Edward was still crying was the uneven rise and fall of his chest. And had it not been for the habit Edward was in to continue to breathe as though it was a necessity for him to survive then she wouldn't even have had that.

When he didn't, and it didn't appear that he was likely to, object to her being there, she closed the bedroom door behind her and crossed the space to him by the window. She lowered herself into a crouch in front of him, deciding when, or if, it would be safe to touch him.

"What is it?" She asked softly. At first it appeared as though Edward wasn't going to respond to her, but before she had the chance to ask the question again, the wind was momentarily knocked out of her as he moved so fast that she didn't see it happen, only felt him collide with her.

And then the room was moving before she had the chance to register what was happening. She hadn't gone far, but it was still confusing for her surroundings to move without her having made the conscious decision to move herself. It almost gave her a sensation of travel sickness, but the movement didn't last long and soon she was settled again.

Now they were both leaning up against the glass, Edward having pulled her towards him. As fast as he had moved, he had taken up the same position. This time however, his head was turned towards her, his eyes watching. And she was sat on the floor beside him, facing him, resisting the urge to reach out and run her hand across his face in a bid to comfort him.

She was about to speak again, determined to get him to tell her what was wrong. But there was something in those beautiful, colour-changing eyes of his that stole her words before she had the chance to say them.

Edward didn't want to speak.

Instead, he shifted himself out of his huddled position and extended his arms towards her. He pulled her to his stone chest and he buried his nose in her hair, inhaling her scent.

She resolved to find out what had upset him so much later on.

His irregular breathing had settled back into a normal pattern. He was content now – or he appeared to be, at least – and that was enough for her.

 **Author's note:**

 **What did you think?**

 **Do you think I should write it again but from Bella's point of view?**

 **I haven't actually come up with a reason why Edward would be so upset, that's why it remains a mystery throughout this short story.**

 **Thank you for reading. I'd love to know what you think.**

 **ibelieveinguardianangels**


End file.
